Madonna Called A Whore For Backing Protest

Madonna has continued to draw the wrath of Russian authorities and the Russian Orthodox Church as she used her latest gig to promote gay rights.

The 53-year-old stripped to her bra on stage in St Petersburg to reveal the words "No Fear!" written on her back as she preached the dangers of societies that fail to treat their own people with "dignity, with respect and with love".

"Show your love and appreciation for the gay community," she called as a sea of hands shot up to display pink bracelets that her team had distributed to the 10,000-strong crowd.

St Petersburg banned what would have been Russia's first authorised gay pride rally last month after a deluge of complaints from residents.

Her appearance in President Vladimir Putin's native city came two days after she donned a balaclava on stage in Moscow - the trademark garment of punk band Pussy Riot.

She staged the stunt in solidarity with the three members of the seven-strong girl group who are being held in custody.

Madonna stripped to a black bra in Moscow on Tuesday to reveal the words "Pussy Riot" on her back.

Prosecutors have sought three years in a corrective labour facility for the band members on charges of hooliganism for their church performance of an anti-Putin "punk prayer".

The verdict will be handed down on August 17.

The US Embassy warned its St Petersburg consulate had "received information regarding a threat of physical violence against spectators and performers" following Madonna's antics in Moscow.

Officials deployed 300 police officers to the St Petersburg Sport & Concert Complex as priests vowed to burn pictures of the US pop star.

Deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin made an angry tweet about Madonna's moral values, writing: "Either take off your cross, or put on your knickers."

And local MP Vitaly Milonov said Madonna's latest show would be closely monitored for signs of violating the new ban on propaganda of deviant behaviour.

"We should n! ot allow the imposition here in Russia of Western values that Madonna promotes," said a spokeswoman for the politician.

St Petersburg this year passed a loosely-worded law that fines those "promoting homosexuality" to minors and apparently equates it with paedophilia.

Russia legalised homosexuality in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union, but only ceased to classify it as a mental disorder in 1999.

Homophobic attitudes run high across the country, and are promoted by some of Russia's most popular and powerful politicians.